Moving drama at MTYP gives voice to boy who changed law

On Friday night, Manitoba Theatre for Young People presented Yvette Nolan's Jordan, a play centered around the true story of Jordan River Anderson, born to the Norway House Cree Nation. The production, a collaboration with Geordie Theatre, will continue its tour through October, with stops in Toronto, Vancouver, and Ottawa's National Arts Centre.

Several family members of Jordan River Anderson, who passed away in 2005 at the age of six, were present at the local première, adding poignancy to the event. Elder Barbara Nepinak, a Pine Creek First Nation member, offered prayers and her dignified presence after MTYP artistic director Pablo Felices-Luna's welcoming remarks.

The 55-minute fantastical play gives voice to Anderson, a child with complex special needs who spent years in a Winnipeg hospital as the federal and provincial governments battled over funding for his specialized care. Alanis Obomsawin's 2019 NFB documentary, Jordan River Anderson: The Messenger, depicts the bureaucratic nightmare and Anderson's tragic death, which led to Jordan's Principle.

Jordan's Principle, now enshrined in Canadian law, guarantees equal compassionate and immediate health care for Indigenous children as their non-Indigenous counterparts. The play's narrative is structured as a quasi-vision quest, with Jordan (Braiden Houle) guided by his life-size spirit bear, Maskwa (Wahsonti:io Kirby). Maskwa employs sass and indignation, retorting, "I'm a spirit bear, not a polar bear."

The young boy, caped in a star blanket, questions Maskwa about the "soft hands, gentle touch and smell of tobacco" that surrounded him during his final moments. Through Jordan's journey, Nolan explores systemic care disparities and their impact on Indigenous communities. The production features a talented cast, including Braiden Houle as Jordan, and weaves themes of hope, resilience, and healing through music, dance, and evocative set design.